Soo-ah stood at the entrance of the grand ballroom, her eyes sweeping over the meticulous arrangements she had overseen for the upcoming charity gala. The Royal Haven hotel was buzzing with activity, and she felt a surge of pride seeing her vision come to life.
Lee Min-joon approached her, his usual calm demeanor intact, but there was a hint of urgency in his eyes. "Soo-ah, we need to talk," he said quietly, leading her to a more secluded area.
"Is everything alright?" Soo-ah asked, concerned.
Min-joon hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I've been looking into the hotel's history, trying to understand more about the challenges we might face. I came across something... unusual."
Soo-ah's curiosity was piqued. "What did you find?"
"There's a record of a mysterious benefactor who invested heavily in the hotel several decades ago. But what's strange is that there are no clear records of their identity. It's almost like they didn't exist," Min-joon explained.
"Why would someone go through such lengths to remain anonymous?" Soo-ah wondered aloud.
"I don't know," Min-joon admitted. "But I think it might be connected to the recent issues we've been facing with the hotel's finances and the strange occurrences some of the staff have reported."
Soo-ah's mind raced as she processed this information. "Do you think Ji-hoon knows anything about this?" she asked, referring to their colleague who had always seemed to have a mysterious air about him.
Min-joon nodded. "It's possible. Ji-hoon has been here longer than most of us. He might have some insights."
Determined to uncover the truth, Soo-ah and Min-joon decided to confront Ji-hoon. They found him in his office, engrossed in his work.
"Ji-hoon, we need to talk," Soo-ah said firmly.
Ji-hoon looked up, his expression unreadable. "What is it?"
Soo-ah took a deep breath. "We need to know about the hotel's mysterious benefactor. Do you know anything about them?"
Ji-hoon's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise before he composed himself. "Why do you want to know?"
"Because it might be related to the challenges we're facing now," Min-joon replied.
After a long pause, Ji-hoon finally spoke. "Alright. I'll tell you what I know. But you need to promise me that you'll keep this information confidential. It could cause more harm than good if it gets out."
Soo-ah and Min-joon exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement.
Ji-hoon leaned back in his chair, his expression serious. "The benefactor's identity is tied to a family with a long and complicated history. There are secrets that were meant to stay buried, but it seems like they're starting to surface again."
As Ji-hoon began to unravel the tale, Soo-ah and Min-joon listened intently, realizing that their journey to protect The Royal Haven was far from over.
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